Internal-combustion engine



1,624,952 1'. G. JACKSON J INTERNAL couaus'rxou ENGINE Filed March 19,1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 19, 1927'.

A'ril 1 192". p 1'. G. JACKSON INTERNAL COIBUSTION; ENGINE Filed Marat;19. 1923 2 Sheets-8heot 2 Patented Apr. 19,- 1927'.

UNITED STATES PATENLT OFFICE.

TERENCE G. JACKSON, OF'ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE JACKSONPETRO- LEUM MOTOR COMPANY,

OF AUGUSTA, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed March 19,1923. Serial No. 626,005.

This invention relates to improvements in opposed piston internalcombustion engines and refers more particularly to an-improvedconnection between the crank shaft and the outer piston or pistonsdesigned to aiiord a more flexible'connection of the outer piston orpistons with the crank shaft and to avoid the necessity of using guidesfor guiding the connections between the outer piston and the partsassociated therewith for giving movement to the piston or pistons, andthereby reduce friction occasioned by such guides and loss of power dueto such friction. a I

The present improvements are herein shown as adapted to the type ofengine shown in the patent to George B. J ackson, No. 1,191,311, grantedon the 18th day of July, 1916, and as designed for a two cylinderengine, but the improvements are adapt- 'able to other types of opposedpiston en'- gines.

The object of the invention is to produce a flexible connection betweenthe outer piston or pistons and the crank shaft which avoids retardingfriction in said connections; to produce a contruction in engines ofthis type which permits interchangeability' of the inner and'outerpistons and thereby'reduce the production costof the engine, and tootherwise improve and simplify en gines of this type. i

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of theelements shown in the drawings and hereinafter described in a selectedembodiment, thereof, and the invention is pointed out in.

detail in respect of the appended claims.

In the drawin s: 7 Figure 1 is a ongitudinal sectional v ew of a twocylinder engine'in a planepassing through the axes of both pairs ofpistons.

Figures 2 and 3are transverse vertical sections on the respective lines2+2 and of Figure 1. 4 As shown in the drawings, 10, 10 designate thetwo cylinders of the engine, shown as made of a single casting andcored-to provide the usual cooling passages 11, 11, the upper or outerpistons which travel in theouter ends of the cylinders; 12, 12, theinner pistons; 13 the crank shaft mounted in suitable bearingsM of theengine frame and '15, the

provided with a balance wheel; 15, connecting rods which directlyconnect'the outer pistons were The connection illustrated and describedis inner pistons with one pair of the crank pins 16, said connectingrods 15 being formed with upper and lower elongated bearings 15, 15mounted respectively for rocking connection with piston pins 12 of theinner pistons and said crank pins 16, and 17, 17, a pair of exteriorconnecting rods which connect another pair of crank pins 18 with theouter pistons 11. e

The present invention is involved primarily inthe connection between theouter ends of the connecting rod 1'? with the outer pistons 11. Saidconnection embraces a cross head 19' which extends transversely acrossthe outer end of the cylinder frame, and is fixed at. its outer ends tothe upper ends or hubs of the connecting rods 17 in anysuitable way;being herein shown as fixed to said connecting rods by non-rotativeattachment. The cylinder casting is slotted-at 20 at diametric positionsacross the cylinder frame to receive and through which plays thecrosshead 19. a

21, 21 designate the upper piston connecting rods that aflord connectionbetween the cross head 19 and said upper pistons. As herein shown, saidconnecting rods are made short and are provided at their upper ends withbearings 22 elongated in the direction of the axis of the cross head 19and mounted to rock on said cross head. Said upper connecting rods arealso provided at their lower ends with elongated bearings 23 which aremounted for rocking movement on piston pins 2 1 which are mounted in theupper the plane of the axes of the'cross head 19.

The result of this construction, and the arrangement of the longconnecting rods 17 for connecting the-outer pistons with the crank pins18 is such as to give a flexibility of transmission movement to theouter pistons due to the right angle or substantially right anglerelation'of the outer piston pins 24 and the cross head 19, as tothereby avoid tendency of binding of the outer pistons, and theirconnections to the cross head in and on the cylinder walls. that wouldoccur if the connections between the cross head and rigid in onedirection.

tween the outer pistons and their associated crank pins, saidconnectioirdoes not. require guiding engagement between parts of theconnection and thecylinder wall as has heretofore been proposed in priorengines of this general type. This latter advantage is due to the factthat the axes of the outer.

crank pins and the cross head are at right angles to each other and tothe fact that there is substantially long bearings between 4 the innerends of the connecting rods 21 and the crank pins, andalso like bearingsbetween the upper ends of said connecting rods 21 and the cross head 19.The substantial bracing function of said bearings can be increased byelongating the hub or sleevelike' bearings 22, 23. Inasmuch as thesebearings are rocking bearings minimum friction is developed due to saidbracing or guiding function as compared to the arranging or designing ofguide bearings between the outer short connecting rods 21 and thecylinder walls.

The absence of a frictional binding or guiding resistance in theconnections between the outer piston connecting rods and the cylinderwalls materially reduces the retarding friction found in priorconstructions, with a consequent decrease of power loss due to suchfriction.

. Another advantage of the construction described is that the pistons ofeach cylinder are interchangeable so that the patterns, jigs and othermanufacturing accessories to produce the pistons are adapted to bothpistons of a cylinder; This construction simplifies and reduces the costof manufacture of the pistons and also reduces the cost of tools,patterns, jigs, etc., for equipping the engine with pistons.

I claim: I 1. An opposed piston internal combustion engine comprising acylinder open at its ends. inner and outer pistons reciprocable therein,a crank shaft, aconnection between the inner piston and said crankshaft, said shaftbeing provided with two cran k pins for operating theouter piston, and a connectibn between said latter crank pins andtheouter piston embracing connecting rods connected to the crank pinsand lying exterior to the cylinder. and means to connect the outer endsof said connecting rods to the outer piston, including pivot elementshaving their pivotal axes disposed in perlnanent angular relation withrespect to each other to afford non-guided universal flexibility between.said connecting rods and said outer piston.

. ing rods. and a short connecting rod within.

the outer end of the cylinder rockingly con- ,nected to the said crosshead and to the outer piston pin with respective angular dispositions toafford non-guided movement to said latter connecting rod and aflexibility in said connection to avoid binding of said outer piston insaid cylinder.

3. An opposed piston internal combustion engine comprising a cylinderopen at its ends, inner and outer pistons reciprocable therein, acrankshaft, a connection between .the inner piston and said crank shaft,said shaft being provided with two crank pins for operating the outerpiston, and a connection between said latter crank pins and the outerpiston comprising connecting rods connected to the crank pins and lyingex terior to the cylinder, a cross head extending between and connectingsaid connecting rods, a short connecting rod within the cylinder forconnecting the cross head to the outer piston pin, and means to connectthe said latter connecting rod to the cross head and to the outer pistonpin adapted to give flexibility to said connection to avoid bindlo I thelongitudinal axis of the crank pin connected to the outer piston.

1 An opposed piston internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder,inner and outer pistons reciprocable therein and having piston pins, acrank shaft, a connection between the inner piston and the crank shaftand a connection betweenthe outer piston and the crank shaft comprisingconnecting rods rockingly mounted on crankpins of said shaft. a crosshead having its longitudinal axis in a plane at a right, angle to theaxis of the outer piston pin and connecting the outer ends of said rods,and a short connecting rod between and having rocking bearing on saidcross head and the outer piston pin.

5. opposed piston internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder,inner and outer pistons reciprocable therein and having piston pins, acrank shaft, a connection between the inner piston and the crank shaft,and a connection between the outer piston and the crank shaft comprisingon said cross head and the outer piston 25 ing connecting rods rockinglymounted on pin, the rocking bearing between the latter crank pins ofsaid shaft, a cross head whose connecting rod and the piston pin beinglongitudinal axis'is iii a plane at a right elongated axially of saidpiston pin.

angle to the axis of the outer piston pins 7. An opposed piston internalcombustion and connecting the outer ends of said conengine comprising acylinder, inner and 30 necting rods," and' a short connecting rod outerpistons reciprocable therein and havbetween and having rocking hearingon said ing piston pins, a crank shaft, a connection cross head and theouter piston pin; the axes between the inner piston and the crank of thecrank pins for said outer connecting shaft and a connection between theouter rods being. parallel to said cross head. piston and the crankshaft comprising con- 35 '6. An opposed piston internal combusnectingrods rockingly mounted on crank tron engine comprising a cvhnder, rnnerpins of HitlCLShfift, a cross head whose longiand outer pistonsreciprocable therein and tudinal axis is in a plane at a right anglehaving piston pins, a crank shaft, :1 connecto the axis of the outerpiston pin and cont-ion between the inner piston and thecrank nectingthe outer ends of said rods, and a 0 shaft and a connection between theouter short connecting rod between and having piston and the crank shaftcomprising conrocking hearing on said cross head and the necting *iOdSrockingly mounted on crank outer piston pin, said cylinder being slottedpins of said shaft, a cross head having its at its outer end to receivesaid cross head.-

axis in a plane at a right angle to the axis In witness whereof- I claimthe foregoing 45 of the outer piston pin and connecting the as myinvention, I hereunto append my sig-- outer ends of said rods, and ashort eonnectnature this 2nd day' of March, 1923. ing rod between andhaving rocking bear- G. JACKSON.

